OUUC Weekly Update
January 7, 2025
Help Wanted with Immigration Organizing Event
Saturday, January 11, 10 am
Multicultural Service Center South Sound is organizing to collaborate on what we can do together to shelter members of our community from danger. We will gather at The United Churches, 11th Avenue, and Capitol in Olympia to begin the process. Please email Lonnie if you can volunteer your time at the event by assisting with sign-in, legal and sanctuary education, note-taking, video equipment, setup, or cleanup.
2024 Annual Giving Statements
The annual giving statements for 2024 were sent out yesterday via email. Due to an error, the first group were missing important information. Please check your email inbox for an email titled "Corrected: Yearly Giving Statement 2024" to receive your updated statement. Statements sent via USPS should be arriving within the next week.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Isaac.
12 Movements of Resiliency Class with Rev. Sara Lewis
Wednesdays 1/8-2/12, 6:30 pm
on Zoom
This class explores different aspects of life and how we can all live more resiliently and sustainably. Using the metaphor of a tree, twelve aspects of life are explored with encouragement to move in a direction of greater intention, flexibility, and strength – all the ingredients of resiliency. Read more and register here.
Spiritual Practice Mini Retreat on the Practice of Story
Saturday, January 11
10 am-noon
All are welcome to the monthly spiritual practice mini retreat, this month led by Rev. Sara Lewis. Come to explore spiritual practices related to the Practice of Story.
Register here.
Falls Prevention Class with Dr. Trey Larant
Saturday, January 11
1-3 pm
Learn how to reduce your risk of falls through the aging process with this interactive class led by physical therapists and strength experts. The goal of this class is to provide education on common fall hazards at home/in the community, give strategies to promote safety, and teach balance/strength exercises to promote independent mobility. Register here.
January Thursdays Schedule is Different
Please note the Thursday evening schedule overall in January will be a bit different this month. Most activities have been moved forward by one week (so a first week group is actually meeting on the 2nd week, etc.) Please check the dates of your normal activities to see if they have changed.
MORE PLANTING with the Gardening Group
Wednesday January 8, 1-3pm
Bring hand tools and gloves.
Contact Lynne MacDonald for more information.
Food Collection at OUUC
Food Collection for Days of Service: on January, 12,19, and 26, you can bring shelf stable foods to OUUC for the Food Bank’s “For the Kid’s” Weekend Backpacks, foods that are canned, bottled or boxed and do not need to be cooked. Please call Jo Ann Young if you need more information.
We Need Help with Coffee and Treats on Sundays!
With the move to 2 services we need help to make the coffee hours a success.
If you can help serve or clean the kitchen or bring treats to share, please sign up here or talk to Rev. Sara.
Thank you!
Return Your Guest at Your Table Box
Did you take home a Guest at Your Table box over the holidays? You can return those now to Rev. Sara and we will send the collection in to the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee.
Didn't collect any money? Still bring the box back, we can use it again next year!
Community Dinner: Lucky Foods and Birthday Celebrations
Thursday, January 9, 5:30 pm
This week the Thursday Dinner returns with a menu of Lucky Foods. This will also be our monthly celebration of birthdays - come for cake and singing if you have a January birthday! All are welcome for food and fellowship. If you can help cook, set up, or clean up let Rev. Sara know.
New UU Class
This Thursday evening class is for everyone interested in becoming a member of OUUC or simply interested in learning more about OUUC. We encourage you to attend as many of the sessions in person as possible, but if you cannot make a session we have online resources to review content similar to what we will explore in that class here.
Parent Group
All who are parenting or caregiving for children of any age are welcome to join us for mutual sharing and support at the monthly Parent group.
This month we will be talking about the Surgeon General's Advisory on Parental Mental Health, which can be found here.
Sit & Stitch
The Sewing Ministry will host monthly on the first Thursdays for two hours. Bring hand sewing, crocheting, knitting, cross stitch, embroidery, etc. to work on and enjoy company and conversation! Beginners welcome! At times, there may be quilts to bind, and we may offer workshops, depending on interest. In January the Sit and Stitch is all ages and will include sewing activities for kids.
From Your OUUC Stewardship Team
You are cordially invited to attend a Gather, Grow & Guide Session in support of the OUUC. We will gather in the homes of fellow congregation members for light refreshments and meaningful conversations about what OUUC means to each of us. During these small group sessions, we’ll share stories, build connections, and deepen our sense of community. There will be several gatherings to choose from, with different dates, times and locations. Each will last approximately 1.5 hours and will be framed by three focal points:
Gather: Gather stories on ways we nurture and are nurtured by the OUUC.
Grow: Explore our path towards growth and the five ways to grow. Rev. Mary will offer a short, supporting video on this topic.
Guide: Collect guidance and advice on how OUUC can achieve the goals it set for 2025.
Please join us for meaningful conversation, fellowship, and the joy of being in community. Sign-up for a time and date that works best for you here, or contact Wendy Tanner and she will help you get signed up. Thank you so much for contributing to this important exercise to nurture our community and move toward the future with hope and success.
12 Movements of Resiliency Class
Led by Rev. Sara Lewis
Offered on Zoom. This class explores different aspects of life and how we can all live more resiliently and sustainably. Using the metaphor of a tree, twelve aspects of life are explored with encouragement to move in a direction of greater intention, flexibility, and strength – all the ingredients of resiliency.
Wednesdays 6:30-8:30pm
Jan 8, 15, 22, 29, Feb. 5, 12
Social Justice Book Group
In January the social justice book group will be reading and discussing Bridges to Heal US: Stories and Strategies for Racial Healing by local author and educator Erin Jones. We’ll be meeting for the second time to discuss this book on Jan 16th after the Thursday night dinner.
If you are interested in joining the discussion, please register here or reach out to Whitney Godby or Kirsten Hill for more information.
Childrens Class: World Blessings
Starting January 16!
Registration is open now for our next 8 week childrens class series offered on Thursdays 6:30-7:30.
An important tenet of Unitarian Universalism is an appreciation of our world and its many blessings. This curriculum seeks to introduce our world’s diverse countries, religions, and holidays through the shared activity of cooking. Register here.
The People's March
Saturday, January 18, 11 am
Join a diverse group, sponsored by PASS, at the People's March in Olympia. More details and RSVP here.
Winter/Spring Racial Justice Learning Circles offered by First Unitarian of Portland
Dances of Universal Peace
Thursday, January 16, 6:30 pm
Dances of Universal Peace is an embodied, transformative spiritual practice touching the essence of all traditions around the world. They include simple movements to live music. All are welcome, no experience necessary, dances are taught to the whole group each time. We hope you will come and lift your voice, your hands, and your spirit as we allow a variety of dances to work in our hearts as yeast works a loaf of bread. A cash donation will be collected for musicians.
Creating with Grief
Saturday, January 21, 10 am
Creating With Grief is a peaceful gathering space for us to be in community and externalize our grief through “creating” our own independent projects. Whether it’s through sewing, painting, sketching, stitching, coloring, or sculpting, the process is yours to explore. Bring your grief and your art/craft/sewing supplies with you. If you don’t have a current project to bring along, you’re welcome to use the supplies and prompts provided.
Hosted by Jenée Jenkins-Wolfram, Certified End of Life Doula
Let It Be Quietus - End of Life Doula Services & Consulting
No registration necessary. This is a drop in, no cost program.
Transcendentalism and the Cultivation of the Soul
4 sessions on third Tuedays--Jan 21, Feb 18, Mar 18 & Apr 15, 2 - 3:30 PM
led by Frank Winters
Book discussion based on retired UU Minister Barry M. Andrews’ book. We’ll read the book over 4 weeks and discover why Andrews quotes historian David Robinson in his introduction as his jumping off point. "American Unitarians lament their vague religious identity, standing upon the richest theological legacy of any American denomination." Let’s explore that legacy together. Register here.
Facilities Manager, Marie Arensmeyer, will be out next week and working remotely for several weeks following. During this period, please take extra care to leave church spaces better than you found them after use. Please direct any questions related to Building and Grounds to Business Manager, Isaac Jennings.